By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
A day after the disaster, tragic scenes were witnessed on Friday in the disaster-hit village Kuntri-Lagafali where Kunwar Singh, a farmer, lost his wife and two sons.
Singh was dramatically rescued alive with help of a victim locating camera (VLC) from the debris of his collapsed house during the swift rescue and relief operation in the village in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand last evening. Singh, who sustained multiple injuries, has been admitted to a hospital for treatment. He is out of danger now.
“I don’t know what to say. I am ruined,”said Singh as he bewailed his misfortune. Rescuers dug out the bodies of his wife Kanta Devi (38) and two sons Vikas and Vishal (both aged 10) Friday morning. Rescuers said Devi tried her best to save the lives of her two sons but eventually lost the battle.
The hills state of Uttarakhand has repeatedly witnessed a series of big disasters during this monsoon season that has left a trail of death, misery and destruction. Nearly 115 people have been killed in these disasters. At least 106 people are also missing. Over 550 houses have been damaged either fully or severely.
As the disaster struck early Thursday in Kuntri-Lagafali village in Nandanagar, rescuers dug rubbles and brought alive three more people including two women and a child besides Kunwar Singh on Thursday. Dilbar Singh, a retired army Captain, who survived the disaster, however, lost his wife Deveshwari Devi. He too is broken-hearted.
The Uttarakhand government airdropped food packets and other essential materials for the disaster-affected people of Nandanagar area where five more bodies were recovered taking the toll to seven in the devastation caused by a cloudburst that triggered flash floods. Two people are still missing in the nearby Dhurma village.
“Today, relief supplies were delivered to the disaster-affected villages in Nandanagar by a helicopter,” a police statement said.
A total of five people were rescued from the debris on Thursday following a swift rescue operation in Nandanagar which was recently in news due to the land subsidence causing cracks in many houses in the main market area.
Forty-five houses and some shops were also damaged in flash floods. Besides, some 200 people were also evacuated from the area, an official report said.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and police, were engaged in rescue and relief operations.
Chamoli District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, and other senior officials were also supervising relief and rescue operations. Local MLA Bhupal Ram Tamta and some local residents were also rendering help.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said some of the injured were taken to nearby hospitals, while the seriously injured were taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh. He stated that these included a child (7) with head injuries.
Responding to a question, Dhami stated that all districts, disaster management personnel, and all agencies, including the NDRF and SDRF, have been instructed to remain on alert until the monsoon season has completely subsided. He said that constant contact is being maintained with the Meteorological Department and precautions are being taken as per their forecast.
A cloudburst and heavy rains this week caused massive flooding and landslides in Dehradun, killing 21 people and leaving 17 others missing.
